‘It’s a mess’: Investigator urges predatory towing victims to take action
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A local tow company owner accused of illegal towing is in even more legal trouble.
Donald Adamson owns Metro Tow and Transport. As of Tuesday, he’s been charged with three counts of tampering with a vehicle and three counts of forgery in Platte County.
That’s on top of the 18 felonies that have been filed in Jackson County.
His mother, Lannette, is also facing charges and is an employee as well.
The Jackson County prosecutor’s office said the pair towed vehicles without permission, falsified forms, and made it difficult for victims to get their cars back.
Nate Bradley, an investigator with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, has been chasing predatory towing claims since 2008 and realizes it’s frustrating.
“There’s going to be legit tows, mixed in with illegit tows, how do you differentiate? It’s difficult,” he said.
KCTV5 wanted to find out more about towing laws. This is what we found --
According to Missouri state law, the company towing a vehicle needs to complete and sign a 4669 form.
Before a vehicle is towed, the company is supposed to report it to local authorities.
“The form has to be completed at the time of the tow,” said Bradley.
There are things you can do if you think you’re wrongfully towed. Bradley said the best thing you can do is file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office.
“File a consumer fraud complaint, their activities are complaint-driven, much like ours, if I don’t get a complaint, I’m probably not going to go,” explained Bradley, “seeking legal counsel and seeing if they have a case, making a claim.”.
Bradley said the more people who speak up and file complaints, the better.
“It’s difficult for us to prove straight stealing; it’s not difficult for us to prove deceptive or fraudulent business practices,” he said.
KCTV5 found that vehicle owners in Kansas have fewer protections.
There are no Kansas laws requiring signage for tow-away zones and there is also no law on the maximum tow or storage rates. It’s up to cities or counties to set that.
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